1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of protecting a spinal area of a patient during or after surgery.
2. Description of the Background Art
There are numerous spinal surgeries performed each year to treat disc injuries, repair, remove or fuse vertebrae, or combinations thereof. During such surgeries, it is desirable to protect the spinal cord and the dura sheath surrounding the spinal cord from injury. Spinal surgeries often also involve insert of bone graft material to repair or replace damaged vertebrae. During the subsequent healing process, it is desirable to protect the spinal area from ingrowth of connective tissue and undesired cells which might interfere with proper healing.
There remains a need in the art for new methods of protecting spinal areas of a patient during and after surgery.